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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaadi En Kappa Kelange

From Alaigal Oivathillai · 1981

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Ilayaraja, Gangai Amaran, Bhaskaran, Jency
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Alaigal Oivathillai1981

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aaaahhnnn…Aaaahhnnn…
Ah.. vaadi en kappa kezhangaeAh.. come, my cassava root (my girl)
Chorus
Ah ah ah haaaAh ah ah haaa
Male
Enga akka petha mukka thuttaeYou three-paisa girl born to my elder sister
Paadaadha vaaya thoranthuOpen your mouth that hasn't sung
Male
Adi vaadi….adi vaadi….Hey come on… hey come on…
Adi vaadi en kappa kezhangaeHey come on, my cassava root
Enga akka petha mukka thuttaeYou three-paisa girl born to my elder sister
Paadaadha vaaya thoranthu..aei..aei…haeei…Open your mouth that hasn't sung..aei..aei…haeei…
Chorus
Vaadi en kappa kezhangaeCome, my cassava root
Enga akka petha mukka thuttaeYou three-paisa girl born to my elder sister
Paadaadha vaaya thoranthuOpen your mouth that hasn't sung
Vaadi en kappa kezhangaeCome, my cassava root
Enga akka petha mukka thuttaeYou three-paisa girl born to my elder sister
Paadaadha vaaya thoranthuOpen your mouth that hasn't sung
Male
Adi koodu kattura kuyilaeHey nest-building cuckoo bird
Male
Pudhu meda kattura mayilaeHey peacock building a new stage
Male
Adi veppa marathu veyilaeHey sunlight filtered through a neem tree
Male
Pala vesham kattura oyilaeHey stylish beauty wearing many guises
Male
Unna kandadhum nenjilaThe moment I saw you in my heart
nimmadhi vandhadhuPeace came over me
Chorus
Vaadi en kappa kezhangaeCome, my cassava root
Enga akka petha mukka thuttaeYou three-paisa girl born to my elder sister
Paadaadha vaaya thoranthu…Open your mouth that hasn't sung…
Male :HeyyyMale: Heyyy
Male
Saraswathi ivaloda thiruvaayilGoddess Saraswathi in her holy mouth
Thiruvaayil kudiyeri irukkanga daShe has taken residence in her holy mouth, fools!
Madapasanga iva padicha ava thavippaFoolish guys, if she learns, the other girl will suffer
Male
Aaru kadal vathi adangumEven rivers and oceans will dry up and subside
Hei..hei..hei…………hei..hei..Hei..hei..hei…………hei..hei..
Chorus
Aaru kadal vathi adangumEven rivers and oceans will dry up and subside
Enga akka maga vaai thoranthaIf my sister's daughter opens her mouth
Aana puli kottam adangumEven a herd of elephants and tigers will calm down
Male
Vaadi en kappa kezhangaeCome, my cassava root
Enga akka petha mukka thuttaeYou three-paisa girl born to my elder sister
Paadaadha vaaya thoranthuOpen your mouth that hasn't sung
Male
Kazhudha kooda nalla paadumEven a donkey can sing well
Kettu paaru unakku puriyumListen and see, you will understand
Male
Adhukku kooda ivanga thanaEven to that donkey, isn't it her
Kathukodukkum vaathiyaaruThe teacher who teaches singing?
Male
Ivanga paaduna nalla illaIf she sings, it is not good at all
Kettu paaruda kazhudha theva illaListen and see, you don't even need a donkey to compare
Ada adhukku ellam gnaanam vendumAh, for all that, wisdom (gnaanam) is needed
Gnaanam vendum.. gnaanam vendum …doi.. ah..Wisdom is needed.. wisdom is needed…doi.. ah..
Male
Ahnn…gnaanamaa….Ahnn… wisdom?
Ada namma gnaanaprakaasam…Ah, our Gnaanaprakaasam…
Dai gnaana prakaasam ingaeHey Gnaanaprakaasam, over here
Odi vaadaa kooppidraangaRun and come, they are calling you
Male
Oru kazhudha.. aa..aaa..aaa..A donkey's... aa..aaa..aaa..
Oru kazhudha vayasaachuA donkey's age has been reached by him
Mariyaadha thuli kooda kodukkaadhathuWithout giving even a tiny drop of respect
Manasukkulla malaiyalavu thimiru irukkuInside his heart, he has arrogance as huge as a mountain
Female
Stupid..Stupid..
Chorus :…………………….Chorus: …………………….
Male
Abcd unga appan thaadi doiABCD, your father's beard doi
Hoi hoi ..hoi hoi hoi….Hoi hoi ..hoi hoi hoi….
Chorus :Abcd unga appan thaadi doiChorus: ABCD, your father's beard doi
Nee vandha vaadi varaatti podiIf you come, come on; if you don't come, get lost
Eee adichaan kaapi adi doi..hoiiiiiFly swatting copycat doi..hoiiiii
Male
Vaadi… adi vaadiCome on… hey come on
Chorus :Vaadi en kappa kezhangaeChorus: Come, my cassava root
Enga akka petha mukka thuttaeYou three-paisa girl born to my elder sister
Paadaadha vaaya thoranthuOpen your mouth that hasn't sung
Male
Adi koodu kattura kuyilaeHey nest-building cuckoo bird
Pudhu maeda kattura mayilaeHey peacock building a new stage
Adi veppa marathu veyilaeHey sunlight filtered through a neem tree
Pala vesham kattura oyilaeHey stylish beauty wearing many guises
Male
Unna kandadhum nenjilaThe moment I saw you in my heart
Nimmadhi vandhadhuPeace came over me
Chorus
Vaadi en kappa kezhangaeCome, my cassava root
Enga akka petha mukka thuttaeYou three-paisa girl born to my elder sister
Paadaadha vaaya thoranthuOpen your mouth that hasn't sung

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful and humorous song from 'Alaigal Oivathillai' features lighthearted banter and playful teasing between characters in a rural setting. The protagonist affectionately addresses a young girl using quirky regional terms like 'kappa kezhangae' (cassava root) and 'mukka thuttae' (three-paisa girl), urging her to open her mouth and sing.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Adi koodu kattura kuyilae / Pudhu meda kattura mayilae

Compares the girl playfully to 'kappa kezhangae' (cassava root), 'kuyil' (cuckoo), and 'mayil' (peacock).

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Adi koodu kattura kuyilae

Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'k' in 'koodu' and 'kattura'.

Hyperbole

Aana puli kottam adangum

Exaggeration claiming that her singing can calm wild elephants and tigers or dry up rivers and oceans.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track highlights the unique composition style of Ilaiyaraaja, blending folk comedy and conversational dialect lyrics written by his brother Gangai Amaran. The song features vocal performances by Ilaiyaraaja himself along with Gangai Amaran and Jency.

Keep listening

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